God used signs and miracles before Pharaoh to prove that Moses represented the God of Israel and to demonstrate His power over the counterfeit miracles of Egypt's magicians.
Les Feldick teaches that when Moses and Aaron went into Pharaoh, they threw down the rod to get Pharaoh's attention, and it became a serpent. God's signs proved that Moses stood before Pharaoh as the representative of the God of Israel. Les also notes that these signs were not so much for Pharaoh's benefit as for Moses and Aaron — proving to them that God would do the supernatural. When Pharaoh's magicians reproduced the miracle by Satan's power, Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods, showing that God's power was greater.
Exodus 7:10 — The rod that became a serpent before Pharaoh is the central sign in view in this question.
Exodus 7:12 — The swallowing of the magicians' rods shows the decisive outcome of the sign — God's power over the counterfeit.
The LORD commanded Moses to perform signs "that they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee" (Exodus 4:5). Aaron first did these signs in the sight of the children of Israel, and the people believed and worshipped (Exodus 4:30-31). Moses and Aaron then went in to Pharaoh and said, "Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness." Pharaoh answered, "Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go" (Exodus 5:1-2). At the LORD's command, Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a serpent (Exodus 7:10). The magicians of Egypt also did in like manner with their enchantments, and their rods became serpents, "but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods" (Exodus 7:11-12). God's miraculous works on Israel's behalf were meant to be remembered: "Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians" (Exodus 19:4). Paul explains the continuing principle: "For the Jews require a sign" (1 Corinthians 1:22).
Les Feldick explains that when Moses and Aaron went into Pharaoh, in order to get his attention they threw the shepherd's rod on the ground and it became a serpent (Clip 3). This was the proof Moses presented: signs and miracles were God's way of convincing Pharaoh that Moses was representative of the God of Israel (Clip 4). Les ties this to Paul's words — "For the Jews require a sign" — and says that from the very beginning of God's dealing with Israel, He proved that He was in whatever was taking place by signs (Clips 3–4). Les makes a striking point about the audience of these signs: "All these signs were not so much for Pharaoh's benefit, but for Moses and Aaron. To prove to those two men that God was going to do the supernatural. He's going to bring Israel out of Egypt" (Clip 2). He traces the same pattern through Israel's history and into Christ's earthly ministry, where the miracles proved to the Jew that Jesus was who He said He was (Clip 2). Les also draws attention to the counterfeit: Pharaoh's magicians did the same thing through the power of Satan — their rods became serpents too (Clip 3). But, as Les says, "the comforting thing is what happened next": Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods, demonstrating that the power of Israel's God was greater than Egypt's occult magic (Clip 3).
Les Feldick's surprising answer is that these signs were "not so much for Pharaoh's benefit, but for Moses and Aaron." They were given to prove to those two men that God was going to do the supernatural — that He would bring Israel out of Egypt (Clip 2). Earlier, God had already used the same kind of signs to convince Moses: the rod became a serpent and then a rod again, and the hand became leprous and then whole — "all signs to prove to Moses that God indeed meant what he said" (Clip 6). The signs before Pharaoh served the same purpose of strengthening faith in God's promise, even as they confronted the king of Egypt.
Les warns his readers to "wake up and be careful" at this point: Pharaoh's magicians did the same thing, and it was through the power of Satan that their shepherd's rods became serpents (Clip 3). The biblical account records that the magicians of Egypt "did in like manner with their enchantments" (Exodus 7:11). But the confrontation did not end there. Les calls the next event "the comforting thing": Aaron's rod swallowed up the magicians' rods — "For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods" (Exodus 7:12; Clip 3).
Les teaches that from the onset of God's dealing with the nation of Israel, "How does he always prove to those people that he is in whatever is taking place? Signs" (Clip 3). Beginning with Moses going to Pharaoh — "or to the children of Israel really first" — and then to convince Pharaoh that Moses was the representative of the God of Israel, the proof was always signs and miracles (Clip 4). The same pattern continues through Israel's history, and even in Jesus' earthly ministry, where miracle after miracle proved to the Jew that Jesus was who He said He was (Clip 2). Paul put it plainly: "For the Jews require a sign" (1 Corinthians 1:22).
The signs did their work before Moses ever stood before the king. The children of Israel saw the signs and believed — "they bowed their heads and worshiped" (Exodus 4:30-31; Clip 1). God had stated the purpose plainly: "That they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee" (Exodus 4:5). Les summarizes these as "signs given to Moses to prove to Israel that he was God's man" (Clip 7). Only after Israel believed did Moses and Aaron go in to Pharaoh with the command "Let my people go" — and Pharaoh answered, "Who is the Lord?" (Exodus 5:1-2; Clip 1).
God vs. Satan's Magicians: Why Aaron's Rod Swallowed Theirs
bondage. Now let's drop down to verse 13, and the Lord spake unto Moses, and unto Aaron, oh, I got to stop here and correct a mistake I made in the last program. It wasn't her and Caleb, it was Aaron and her. I'll do that for sake of someone on television is going to be writing and telling me that I went wrong, and I want to correct it before I go any further.
Israel Believes the Signs Before Pharaoh Is Confronted
Les traces the sequence: the children of Israel first saw the signs and believed, and then Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh saying 'Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Let my people go' — and Pharaoh answered, 'Who is the Lord?'
Signs Were for Moses and Aaron, Not Pharaoh
Les explicitly teaches that the rod-becoming-serpent signs were not so much for Pharaoh's benefit as for Moses and Aaron — to prove to those two men that God was going to do the supernatural and bring Israel out of Egypt.
Getting Pharaoh's Attention and the Magicians' Counterfeit
Les explains the rod was thrown before Pharaoh in order to get his attention, and that Pharaoh's magicians reproduced the miracle through the power of Satan — but the comforting outcome, Aaron's rod swallowing theirs, demonstrates God's superior power.
Signs as Proof That Moses Represented Israel's God
Les teaches that signs and miracles were the proof God used to convince Pharaoh that Moses was the representative of the God of Israel, and he connects it to Paul's words that the Jews require a sign.
God's Miraculous Power Over Egypt
Les reminds his students that the God of Israel is constantly performing the miraculous, citing Exodus 19:4 — 'Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians' — as evidence of God's supernatural deliverance.
Signs Convince Moses First
Les notes that God first used the signs of the rod and the leprous hand to convince Moses that God indeed meant what He said.
Signs Prove Moses Is God's Man to Israel
Les shows the signs were given so that Israel would believe that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had appeared to Moses — proving he was God's man.
Exodus 4:5: That they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee.
This states the purpose of the signs God gave Moses — to produce belief that the God of the fathers had appeared to him.
Exodus 4:30: And Aaron spake all the words which the LORD had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people.
The signs were performed publicly before the children of Israel, which is the setup for the later confrontation with Pharaoh.
Exodus 4:31: And the people believed: and when they heard that the LORD had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped.
The signs accomplished their first goal — Israel believed and worshipped.
Exodus 5:1: And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.
Moses and Aaron confronted Pharaoh in the name of the God of Israel, right after the signs had established their credentials.
Exodus 5:2: And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.
Pharaoh's challenge sets the stage for the signs that would identify who the LORD is.
Exodus 7:10: And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the LORD had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent.
This is the sign performed directly before Pharaoh — the rod becoming a serpent.
Exodus 7:11: Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.
Pharaoh's magicians countered the sign with their own enchantments.
Exodus 7:12: For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods.
The decisive result — Aaron's rod swallowed up the magicians' rods, showing God's power over the counterfeit.
Exodus 19:4: Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself.
God points Israel back to His miraculous acts in Egypt as the evidence of His power.
1 Corinthians 1:22: For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
Paul states the ongoing principle that Jews demand signs — the same pattern seen in the Exodus events.
Les Feldick teaches that the signs were "not so much for Pharaoh's benefit, but for Moses and Aaron" — they proved to those two men that God was going to do the supernatural and bring Israel out of Egypt (Clip 2). At the same time, the signs were the proof Moses presented to get Pharaoh's attention and to convince him that Moses represented the God of Israel (Clips 3–4).
Les Feldick explains that Pharaoh's magicians did the same miracle "through the power of Satan" (Clip 3). The biblical account confirms they cast down their rods and they became serpents (Exodus 7:11-12). The decisive difference was that Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods — God's power overcame the counterfeit (Exodus 7:12).
Les notes that God's signs were first given to the children of Israel, who then believed and worshipped (Clip 1). The purpose, as Exodus 4:5 states, was "that they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers... hath appeared unto thee" — proving Moses was God's man (Clip 7). Then Moses and Aaron, armed with those credentials, went in to Pharaoh (Clip 1).
Watch the Teaching: God vs. Satan's Magicians: Why Aaron's Rod Swallowed Theirs